Virat Kohli's 31st hundred takes him past former Australia captain Ricky Ponting as the second highest ton-getter in the 50-overs' format.
New Zealand's batsmen got their act together in a tricky run-chase to spoil Virat Kohli's 200th One-Day International with a comfortable six-wicket victory over India in the opening One-Day International, in Mumbai, on Sunday.
Young Tom Latham (103 not out) and senior pro Ross Taylor (95) batted with lot of purpose as the Kiwis chased down the target of 281 in 49 overs with minimum fuss.
The victory gave New Zealand a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Latham and Taylor's fine knocks came after Kohli showed his class with a gutsy 31st hundred in his 200th ODI in energy-sapping conditions to take India to 280 for 8 in 50 overs.
None of the other Indian batsmen could cross the 40-run mark.
During New Zealand's chase, Taylor and Latham came together after New Zealand were reduced to 80 for three, with India trying drive home the advantage, and their 200-run stand for the fourth wicket proved a clincher in the end.
The best part about New Zealand's run-chase was that the target was achieved without undue risks, as Taylor and Latham slowly but steadily built the innings in the middle overs.
They did not try to attack the spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav (1-64 in 10 overs) and Yuzvendra Chahal (0-51 in 10 overs), and took the singles and twos on offer, with occasional boundary, when they were offered.
Taylor, a regular feature in the Indian Premier League over the years, faced 100 balls, hitting eight boundaries, while Latham, the only successful Kiwi batsman during their last tour, hit eight fours and two sixes off 102 deliveries while scoring his fourth ODI hundred.
Earlier, Virat Kohli made it a memorable 200th One-Day International with a record-breaking century in demanding conditions to guide India to respectable 280 for eight after India elected to bat first.
Kohli mixed caution with aggression while scoring 121 off 125 balls -- his 31st hundred in the 50-overs' format – and went past former Australia captain Ricky Ponting as the second highest ton-getter in the ODI format.
Only Sachin Tendulkar, with 49 hundreds, is ahead of him.
Hitting nine boundaries and two sixes -- including a majestic bowler's back drive to reach his fifty, Kohli became the second player, after AB de Villiers, to reach the three-figure mark in his 200th game.
While Kohli has had some regal knocks in the ODI format over the years, the energy-sapping humidity and slowness of the track made batting difficult.
Coming in to bat in the fourth over, he was finally dismissed in the 50th over, having successfully steering his team to safety after being reduced to 71 for 3 in just shade above 15 overs.
Credit should also be given to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, whose unbeaten cameo of 26 off 15 balls helped India cross the 275-run mark.
Kohli was involved in two significant partnerships -- a 73-run stand for the fourth wicket with Dinesh Karthik (37 off 47 balls), who got out after getting set, and 57 for the fifth wicket with Mahendra Singh Dhoni (25 runs off 42 balls).
Hardik Pandya (16) had a rare off-day by his standards.
With India losing both the openers early, Kohli showed a different approach, taking considerable time to settle, initially dealing in ones and twos, and then taking on the Kiwi bowlers.
After a cautious start, he hit a cover drive in the 11th over and followed it up with two consecutive boundaries in the 15th over, off Colin De Grandhomme.
The skipper was lucky to get a reprieve on 29, after Mitchell Santner dropped a straight forward chance at cover off De Grandhomme.
There was no looking back for him after that as he punished pacer Adam Milne, hitting him for a six over long leg.
It was Trent Boult, who gave the Kiwis the early breakthroughs. He dismissed Shikhar Dhawan (9 off 12 balls) and Rohit Sharma (20 off 18 balls) cheaply on a Wankhede pitch which had spongy bounce and saw the ball holding up a bit.
Boult lived up to his reputation and got the ball to swing and seam. Dhawan nicked one to 'keeper Tom Latham in the fourth over, and the hosts were reduced to 16 for 1.
Boult then cleaned up Sharma in his next over, as he got the ball to come into the right-hander, leaving India struggling at 29 for 2.
Rohit pulled Southee for consecutive sixes but the Mumbai batsman failed to make the most of his start.
For the Kiwis, Boult (4-35) was the pick of the bowlers, later dismissing Dhoni and Pandya.
